Powder presses are used, among other uses, for producing green compacts, pressed parts, before a sintering process. The typical powder press comprises an upper and a lower punch, which work together with a die on a die table, in order to compress powdered material filled into the die. The upper and lower punches are driven by a suitable drive, for example a hydraulic cylinder. The drives typically are located on transverse sections of a press frame, where in most cases a punch plate is interposed via a coupling, to which punch plate a clamping system is attached for upper and lower punches.
It is necessary to guide the upper and lower punches so that a perfect press result is attained. Furthermore, this reduces the wear on the tools. In a known implementation, the punch plate is connected to a guide carriage or part of a guide carriage that is guided vertically in the frame (adaptorless pressing). In a different implementation of a known construction, the upper and the lower punch plate is guided by guide elements that are connected to the die table. The die table, on its part, is connected to the transverse section of a press frame. The forces occurring during the pressing of the powders are transferred by the press tools via the clamping systems into the tool guide system.
Presses of the named type are distinguished according to the ejection method and the withdrawal method. In the first case, the die table is fixed to the frame, and the upper and lower punches are actuated by the drive. In the second case, the lower punch is fixed to the frame, and the die table and the upper punch plate are actuated by the drive.
It is known to measure the pressing force with which the punches impact the powder to be pressed. For this, corresponding force sensors, responding to the push and pull, are disposed between the drive and a coupling or the punch plate.
The object of the invention is to create a powder press in which also the transverse forces can be measured.